Apparatus for the production of a turf yarn

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a turf yarn for artificial turf. According to the invention, several monofilaments or ribbons are produced from one respective polymer material in two parallel extrusion processes, the turf yarn being formed by combining several monofilaments or ribbons obtained in the first extrusion process with several monofilaments or ribbons obtained in the second extrusion process. In order to improve especially the elasticity of an artificial turf carpet made from said turf yarn, the monofilaments or ribbons obtained in one of the extrusion processes are crimped before being combined, the crimped monofilaments or ribbons and the flat monofilaments or ribbons being produced in parallel next to each other and being joined in a winding station by means of a tie thread.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for production of a turf yarn for artificial turf, said apparatus comprising:
 a first extrusion device for the purpose of producing multiple monofilaments or ribbons from a first polymer material; 
 a second extrusion device for the purpose of producing multiple monofilaments or ribbons from a second polymer material; 
 the two extrusion devices being arranged next to each other, wherein a crimping device for crimping the monofilaments or ribbons is arranged behind one of the extrusion devices; and 
 a tie and winding device for bringing together multiple crimped and non-crimped monofilaments and/or ribbons into a turf yarn by winding a tie thread around them, 
 the extrusion devices, the crimping device and the tie and winding device are arranged in a continuous process sequence. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the extrusion devices each have at least one godet assembly, and wherein the godet assemblies of both extrusion devices can be driven and controlled independently of each other. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the crimping device is designed as a compression chamber texturizer in which a fiber bundle or a fiber grouping can be crimped. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tie device has a winding station in which a tie thread is wound around the monofilaments and/or the ribbons which have been brought together. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein a spooling device is arranged behind the tie device, and the turf yarn can be wound into a spool by means of said spooling device. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the extrusion devices each have one or two extruders for melting polymer materials. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tie device has a plurality of winding stations, and wherein a plurality of spooling stations of a spooling device are arranged behind the winding stations.